Spark Plugs

smitty1 · January 18, 2010

Which is the better plug? ACDelco RAPIDFIRE Performance Platinum or ACDelco Iridium.

Nytemare · January 18, 2010

Which is the better plug? ACDelco RAPIDFIRE Performance Platinum or ACDelco Iridium.

Yes....you can use either....either one is good....best plug is the stock replacement one.

Westlotorn · January 18, 2010

The Iridium Plugs offer the best spark, very concentrated spark, longest life and great idle quality. They also cost the most.

I watch gas mileage and idle quality, if both stay good my plugs stay in the car. These days that is 100,000 miles or more.

pinky93 · January 19, 2010

Which is the better plug? ACDelco RAPIDFIRE Performance Platinum or ACDelco Iridium.

I have about 2,000 miles on a set of E3 spark plugs. Happy so far, but time will tell.....

brims · January 19, 2010

Which is the better plug? ACDelco RAPIDFIRE Performance Platinum or ACDelco Iridium.

I have about 2,000 miles on a set of E3 spark plugs. Happy so far, but time will tell.....

You're in the minority, I constantly read about people putting E3s in their Chevys and having nothing but problems.

Nytemare · January 19, 2010

Which is the better plug? ACDelco RAPIDFIRE Performance Platinum or ACDelco Iridium.

I have about 2,000 miles on a set of E3 spark plugs. Happy so far, but time will tell.....

You're in the minority, I constantly read about people putting E3s in their Chevys and having nothing but problems.

I have heard that too come to think of it.

I heard that the absolute best plug you can put in an LS motor is the NGK TR55 copper electrode. It only lasts about 15K but it performs better than any other plug....again I stress...I HEARD.

Again I think the best plugs are stock replacements for stock engines...having said that....

I was actually thinking about trying those Pulstar plugs...just to see if they make a difference....they are gloating a 4.4MPG increase on a Prius...I highly doubt I will see anywhere close to that...but .5 would be nice....hell just a smoother idle would be nice. Think they'd be worth a try?? Sorry for the on-topic thread jack BTW

pinky93 · January 20, 2010

Which is the better plug? ACDelco RAPIDFIRE Performance Platinum or ACDelco Iridium.

I have about 2,000 miles on a set of E3 spark plugs. Happy so far, but time will tell.....

You're in the minority, I constantly read about people putting E3s in their Chevys and having nothing but problems.

All I can say, is no problem so far..... I will definitely keep you all posted.

Rick

alwcurlz · January 20, 2010

Which is the better plug? ACDelco RAPIDFIRE Performance Platinum or ACDelco Iridium.

I've read that AC or NGK are the best for our engines. Also, the original stock plugs on 02 and older are set to .060 and referenced in the manual for that. GM revised the spark plug gap reference from .060 to .040. The plugs you can get will come pre-gapped and may vary from .040 on up to .060 though. The original ACDelco plugs when designed at first came out as Platinum, set at .060 but, they then changed the tip design and also made them Iridium, set for .040.

Westlotorn · January 21, 2010

I found out years ago that Champion builds plug for AC, Motorcraft and many other brands. I like to stay with a company that builds the product.

I switched to Champion Iridium plugs in My 02 Tahoe, my wifes 02 BMW 530i, my son's 01 BMW 525i. They all have at least 25,000 miles on the new plugs now. My son is approaching 50K.

No misfires reported on the OBD2 system. Gas mileage is good. Idle very good. I am happy.

The main reason I switched to Iridium is that they looked so much like the race plugs that have been used for years. Racers all wanted the spark exposed to the fuel charge so race plugs had the smallest possible electrode protruding into the cylinder. Racers even go so far as to clock the plugs when they install them so the spark faces the intake valve. On race plugs this worked well to make power but this design was a short life design and they had to be replaced every couple races. Iridium plugs use the small electrode like a race plug but they are able to go 100,000 miles or more because the Iridium is tough enough to avoid wearing down, they say you should not have to regap them for 100,000 miles.

Normally you regap because the plug is wearing down and increasing gap as it wears. Double platinum plugs and Iridium plugs don't wear down and are able to last the 100,000 miles required by smog warranty laws.

Standard copper plugs work great when new but they wear down quickly in the high energy ignition systems used today on cars and trucks. If you don't mind regapping plugs every 10,000 miles you will be happy with copper but they won't go 100,000 miles like a factory plug.

Jubei69 · January 21, 2010

Which is the better plug? ACDelco RAPIDFIRE Performance Platinum or ACDelco Iridium.

I've read that AC or NGK are the best for our engines. Also, the original stock plugs on 02 and older are set to .060 and referenced in the manual for that. GM revised the spark plug gap reference from .060 to .040. The plugs you can get will come pre-gapped and may vary from .040 on up to .060 though. The original ACDelco plugs when designed at first came out as Platinum, set at .060 but, they then changed the tip design and also made them Iridium, set for .040.

From some post I've read at GMHIGHTECHPEFORMANCE.COM

which is mainly owners of Vettes, Camaros, GTO's etc...

They stated as long as you go with AC Delco or NGK iridiums, there is no discernable difference. The majority of them recommend AC Delco or NGK iridiums for their GMC vehicles.

alwcurlz · January 24, 2010

I sent a letter to the developers of Firestorm Spark Plugs and they told me they would consider sending me a set for road testing.

Here are some videos explaining these Firestorm spark plugs.

Clocking spark plugs and/or filing the anode and tilting it back towards the cylinders are a race proven technique worth trying.

Nytemare · January 24, 2010

I sent a letter to the developers of Firestorm Spark Plugs and they told me they would consider sending me a set for road testing.

Here are some videos explaining these Firestorm spark plugs.

Clocking spark plugs and/or filing the anode and tilting it back towards the cylinders are a race proven technique worth trying.

I dont know man...sounds like snake oil...but its snake oil that would be worth a try if it were free. If you were going to try and get a AFR of 24:1 I would think you would have to do some serious data logging on a dyno to be sure it wasn't going to go south.

For the record...a vehicles AFR is not 14.7:1...its actually 12.5-13.3:1 This is where the most power is made...and also the 14.7 number comes from a test fuel comprised of nhetpane and iso-octane only.... Fuel at the pumps contain much more "stuff" than this... and dont forget that 10% filler (methanol)...more in the winter.

Jennabear · January 24, 2010

I have the NGK TR55s, good plugs.

Nytemare · January 24, 2010

I have the NGK TR55s, good plugs.

That's what I've been running for the past 30K km I have no problems with them. And since your Blown...I would say that's good proof that they work well.

Jennabear · January 24, 2010

Definitely, we are running them in all 4 vehicles actually. As long as they are gapped right, I won't think that any spark plug should be an issue with a near-stock to stock vehicle.